Cantilever Rack
Optimize Your Space with Cantilever Racking from Norlift
At Norlift, we understand that storing long, bulky, or irregularly shaped materials presents unique challenges for warehouses and distribution centers. Cantilever racking is purpose-built for these storage needs, featuring a column-free design that makes loading and unloading with a forklift more efficient and less restrictive than traditional shelving systems.
Cantilever racking systems are ideal when your inventory doesn’t fit neatly on a pallet rack. Things such as lumber, pipe, steel bar stock, tubing, sheet goods, and other elongated items need a better system. Because the arms extend outward from uprights without front columns, you gain unobstructed access to your materials, which reduces handling time and improves overall workflow.
What is Cantilever Racking?
Cantilever shelving, or cantilever racking, is designed to store long, bulky, or awkward materials of just about any length. Unlike other rack systems, cantilever racks have no vertical obstructions, so you are able to load your product with a forklift without the restriction of a front column.
What Cantilever Racks Offer
A cantilever racking system consists of several core components:
Bases that anchor the system to the floor and provide a steady foundation.
Upright Columns with multiple attachment points for adjustable arms.
Cantilever Arms that act as adjustable “shelves” to support long or heavy stock.
Braces that add horizontal and diagonal support to help stabilize the structure under load.
These features allow you to create a storage solution tailored to your specific inventory size and weight requirements. Whether you need single-sided racks placed against walls or double-sided systems for aisle storage, cantilever racking offers flexibility and accessibility that many traditional rack systems cannot match.
Because cantilever racking systems are modular, they can be adjusted as inventory profiles change. Arm lengths, spacing, and load capacities can be reconfigured over time, helping facilities adapt to new materials without replacing an entire storage system.
Cantilever Shelving Types
Structural Cantilever Rack (Most Common)
A structural rack is made with hot-rolled structural steel. This type of rack can handle high load capacities and withstand harsher conditions than a roll-formed rack. Since it is made of heavier steel, a structural rack is more labor-intensive to install and more expensive than a roll-formed one. However, it also tends to last longer and requires less maintenance.
Roll-Formed Cantilever Rack
A roll-formed rack is made with cold roll-formed steel. This type of rack is made with lighter gauge steel and boltless beam pin connectors, so it is more expensive and easier to install than a structural rack. However, roll-formed racks can hold up to the similar weight that structural racks can hold.
Meco Cantilever Rack
Meco Omaha manufactures five basic capacity series to fit your storage needs - from Series 1000 Medium Duty through Series 5000 Extra Heavy Duty.
Available in upright height from 6' to 20' with 2' through 10' brace widths (measured on center). Arms are completely adjustable on 3" centers to accommodate an infinite variety of items. A wide range of base sizes allows custom designing of rack systems to your individual needs. Uprights are punched on both sides for versatility and can be used as single-sided or double-sided, depending on the base used (Note: arms must never be placed on the back side of a single-based upright).
Meco's Series 1000 Cantilever Rack is designed where heavier capacities are not required. The only difference is the use of lighter gauge steel and smaller parts dimensions. Cantilever uprights, braces, and arms are available for all Meco Racking!
Description | Upright Heights |
Series 1000 (Medium Duty) | 6', 7', 8', 10', 12' |
Series 2000 (Medium-Heavy Duty) | 6', 8', 10', 12', 14', 16', 18', 20' |
Series 3000 (Heavy Duty) | 6', 8', 10', 12', 14', 15', 16', 18', 20' |
Series 4000 (Standard Heavy Duty) | 6', 8', 10', 12', 14', 15', 16', 18', 20' |
Series 5000 (Extra Heavy Duty) | 10', 12', 14', 15', 16', 18', 20' |
Series 1000 - Starter and Add-on Units | 6', 8', 10' |
Series 4000 - Started and Add-on Units | 8', 10', 12' |
Do You Really Need Cantilever Racking?
If your materials are too long or bulky for the average pallet rack, then you probably need a cantilever racking system. The most common types of products put on these racks are lumber and pipes. Furniture also is commonly stored on cantilever racks that include shelves.
Because the materials they hold are heavy, cantilever racks are designed with weight in mind. Most cantilever arms can support 1,500 to 5,000 pounds per arm. Some cantilever arms can hold up to 18,000 pounds! The most common racks in the marketplace have about 13,000 pounds of weight capacity per side. Be sure to carefully consider the weight of your materials so that you order a rack that meets your needs.
Another consideration is the height of your racks and the vertical space you have in your warehouse or storage yard. Cantilever racks typically range in height between six feet and 30 feet. The most popular racks are in the 12- to 16-feet tall range.
Cantilever racks also are either single-sided or double-sided. A single-sided cantilever rack offers storage on one side and is usually placed against a warehouse wall. On the other hand, a double-sided rack is accessible from both sides. It can store more product, but it also requires more floor space.
Never use a rack that is designed to be single-sided as a double-sided rack. It can pose a serious safety risk. Another safety consideration involves the use of stop pins. If you are storing a hefty load that is prone to roll, a stop pin to secure the load to the cantilever is a must.
When figuring out sizing, make sure that the arms are never longer than the bases as it can pose a serious safety risk.
Norlift’s Cantilever Racking Solutions
At Norlift, we stock a comprehensive selection of cantilever racking and components to support your operations. From starter sections to add-ons and replacement parts, our inventory includes a wide range of cantilever arms, braces, and uprights compatible with your application needs.
Our experienced team can help you design an integrated cantilever system that fits your facility’s layout and material characteristics. We also offer warehouse design and installation services for cantilever, pallet rack, and boltless shelving systems. All are designed to give you peace of mind that your storage equipment will be installed safely and efficiently.
Serving the Inland Northwest
Our main location in Spokane, WA, proudly serves businesses throughout the Inland Northwest, including Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls. We also support customers in and around Missoula, Helena, Kalispell, and Stevensville, ensuring you get the maintenance, installation, and support you need wherever you operate.
Whether you are expanding your existing warehouse, reorganizing for greater productivity, or replacing outdated storage systems, Norlift’s cantilever racking solutions help you make the most of your space.
Get Support for Your Cantilever Racking Needs
Choosing the right cantilever racking system starts with understanding your materials, space constraints, and handling equipment. Norlift works with businesses across the Inland Northwest to help plan storage solutions that support safe operation and efficient material access.
If you’re evaluating cantilever racking for your facility or need assistance sourcing compatible components, contact Norlift to discuss your requirements with a warehouse products specialist. Contact us to discuss your application and get a customized recommendation from our warehouse product specialists.
Products carried:
Brands carried:
Cantilever Rack
Drive-in Rack
Gravity Rack
Package Rack
Carton Flow Rack
Push Back Rack
Stack Rack
Wire Decking
SpaceRak
Hannibal
Unarco
Meco
